


Our normal days will continue, all the same.

by orphan_account



Category: DRAMAtical Murder
Genre: Drabble Collection, M/M, One-Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 10:41:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/977811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exploring the relationships, during and post-game, of DMMD. Spoilers for the main storyline, with some vague references to re:connect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Braids (Mink/Aoba)

**Author's Note:**

> yes, it's another drabble collection. these boys are adorkable.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> otherwise known as dealing with the repercussions of Mink’s route. I’m sleep-deprived, but this wanted - no, demanded- to be written before I crashed in bed. Mink is a complex character.

# Braids

* * *

_He wants this. He knows that. Or, at least, he **thinks** he does. That belief, however fervent, does not stop his shudder at the light touch that comes into contact with his skin, caressing the bare expanse of his shoulders. The touch is feather-light, brushing the skin at the nape of his neck, and brief- before he has a chance to speak, it’s gone, a flash of memory._

_"…it’s done."_

**Minao. Post-game.**

* * *

 

He wants this. He knows that. Or, at least, he **_thinks_ ** he does. That belief, however fervent, does not stop his shudder at the light touch that comes into contact with his skin, caressing the bare expanse of his shoulders. The touch is feather-light, brushing the skin at the nape of his neck, and brief- before he has a chance to speak, it’s gone, a flash of memory.

"…it’s done."

The voice comes from somewhere further off behind him then Aoba expected, even as his hands reach up instinctively to his neck to feel the product of his companions work, feathers woven into the strands of his hair. He breaks into a smile, turning in his seat to catch sight of Mink as his hands move further, mapping the work to its full extent. The braids are elaborate, the smooth surface of beads intermingled with cord, and his gratitude is genuine.

"Thank you." His smile widens, hoping to elicit a response, but the other mans does react; features impassive, almost as distant as he is physically from the kitchen table where they’d sat together. An air of exhaustion settled over him, and with the stress that clenched in his gut, Aoba knows that his body’s reaction had not gone unnoticed.

It went against everything Aoba had come to believe he wanted; against his rationalizations of what Mink was, _who_ he was, and who he had been. It had been _years_ , and Aoba had come here with a goal, to face demons that not only he held, and _move on_ -

Trying to shake off his own frustration, Aoba breathed out in a short huff, a hand reaching up to scratch the back of his neck and brushing the lengths of the braids. He tried to hide the conflict in his thoughts, meeting Mink’s eyes with the determination that had brought him here, that had enabled him to _find_ him in the first place. “Really, I like it-“

He was interrupted when Mink raised a hand and took a step to the side, maintaining a careful distance between them whilst managing to catch his attention. Mink’s eyes were piercing, demanding… before they softened, a heavy hand raising to cover his expression, lowering his face into his palm. A long, heavy sigh filled the silence of the room, and something in Aoba’s chest burned. “Aoba…you don’t…need to say anything.”

"Mink…"

"Please, wait." Another sigh whistled in the air between them, before Mink uncovered his face, a pain in his features, his expression. "You don’t need to stay with me. I have no desire to take my life. You have given me hope for a new life that I had never expected, and I’m grateful for that.

"You have given me more than I could ever ask for, or repay." Aoba couldn’t speak, his breath caught somewhere between his lungs and his throat. Mink’s already deep voice lowered further, until it was barely audible above the buzz of the western style heaters. "And that’s why you should go."

Silence fell once more between them, exaggerating the distance between them.

Only when it was clear that Mink was finished did Aoba speak. “…are you sending me away? Do you want me to go?”

"It’s not my decision."

"I’ve already told you." Aoba’s heart was pounding in his chest, the blood thundering in his ears until he was almost certain that Mink would be able to hear it. The tension wound in his gut, but his determination was winning, and his confidence grew. "Unless you send me away, I’m not leaving."

Silence fell between them again, the shadow between Mink’s brows deepened as his features creased into a frown. The faint lines on his face, that dashed the corners of his eyes and pinched his mouth grew more distinct, before his expression smoothed out, and he seemed to come to a decision.

Several long, careful steps, brought his across the distance in the room, and brushing a hand by the braids that framed his face, Mink touched his chin very lightly to bring his face up to his. His eyes studied him for a long moment, before he asked: “do you really want to be here?”

 _Yes._ It was the one thing - the only thing from this mess - that Aoba was sure of. It had driven him in the time since Toue had fallen, and in the weeks since he had found him, it had only become more certain in his mind. _He wanted to be here -_ there was _nowhere_ else he wanted to be.

His answer was an exhale of a breath he had not known he was holding, and a small smile that he hoped would convey more than his words. “If you will have me.”


	2. Braids (Mink/Aoba)

# (misplaced) Optimism

* * *

_"I was... surprised, that you stayed." To say the least. **  
**_

  
**Minao**.

* * *

"I was… surprised, that you stayed." _To say the least._ “This is my mess, after all.”

The silence in the room was almost deafening, and Aoba was hard-pressed to ignore it. In the end, he couldn’t, and composing his features into a smile, he continued.

"…so, I was thinking, there will be a reason why you’re doing this. Something that you need. What is it? What are you looking for, in Platinum Jail?"

"…"

Thin lips tightened into a frown, the cockatoo’s wings fluttering as the bird settled on its master’s shoulder. The silence dragged on, until it was evident that the man wasn’t going to provide an answer. It was what he had expected, when Aoba thought about it. When had this man shown any inclination of being forthcoming about anything in relation to himself, let alone his motives?

The subsequent break in the silence was almost as startling as the syllables of the name it spelled out, and it caught Aoba entirely off guard.

"Toue."

With that, the man rose to his full height. Two large steps brought him close, close enough that length of his large coat brushed along the backs of the pair of smaller feet where they lay curled on the sofa. Aoba drew back, sinking further into the worn leather of the seat cushions, and Mink paused, leaving Aoba small under the man’s shadow.

“ _Mink-?”_

"Settle down." It was a roughly barked command, and Aoba was smart enough not to ignore it. Hovering over the small body curled on the couch, Mink’s gaze lingered, brows set heavily over his expression as he caught Aoba’s gaze and held it. His eyes were cold and indifferent as they had been before, and Aoba couldn’t suppress the shiver that made its way down his spine. "…You will stop with the questions."

The man’s expression twisted, a small grimace on his lips, before he continued forward, heavy footfalls echoing down the hall. There was a small creak, a door swinging on well-oiled hinges, before the man was gone, leaving Aoba in the semi-darkness of the living room.

Removing his fingers from where they’d clenched tightly to Ren’s fur, Aoba ran his hands lightly down his companion’s small form, trying to ignore his trembling fingers.

It was too late to question what he had gotten himself into. Far too late. No, he would figure out a way to make it _work._ He _had_ to _._ For the sake of everyone.

This **will** **work**. _  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at the very beginning of this route, before Aoba’s and Mink’s first night in Glitter was over. This is therefore symbolic of both Aoba’s and my optimism about their working relationship during this route. Things didn’t turn out exactly as planned.


	3. Wriggle (Clear/Aoba)

 

 

Wriggle

* * *

  _'Mm, it's never too early to see you, Aoba.'_  
Clear/Aoba, post-game spoilers, but no spoilers for re:connect (as I haven't played it yet, please view this as theoretical reunion. ;u; )

 

* * *

He was... asleep.  
  
It was a startling change from the usual brash energy that the man exuded, and Aoba took a moment to let it all sink in, studying the delicate set of his features, the light flush of heat on his skin. This was the most peaceful Aoba could remember seeing him in... a long time. Since before the Toue incident. Since his return, he had been all energy, all the time - to make up for lost time, he'd said. Aoba's eyes followed the line of his bare arm, down to the hand that rested lightly on his waist, fingers cool against his skin. At times, he could almost picture the knife, gleaming in Clear's grip seconds before it was plunged into his temple. The memories lingered, and he suspected Clear knew; which would explain his behaviour these past few weeks.  
  
When he'd glanced back up, he found a single eye open and watching him, a wide, obnoxious grin breaking across the younger man’s features a startling contrast to their previous expression.  
  
'Good mooooorning, Aoba! Did you think I was sleeping?'  
  
With a growing headache - that, he suspected, was the product of accumulated stress from moving in with this man - Aoba turned away, burying his burning cheeks into his pillow and resigning himself to staring at opposite the wall until he calmed down. He was flustered, and if he was honest with himself, it did not look good, as if he was some kind of pervert-  
  
A second of peace was all he got before a hand snaked around his waist, pulling him backwards into a warm chest, tightening around him as gleeful laughter erupted in his ear.  
  
'Were you watching me, Aoba-san? I caught you~'  
  
Hissing a curse between his teeth, Aoba squirmed in the too-warm cage of arms, trying to fight his way out of the grip as gently as possible. His efforts were proved fruitless, and as the giggles just intensified, Aoba dropped the pretense, whole heartedly struggling for his freedom. ‘Sh-shut it! It’s too early for this…’  
  
The giggling stopped, but the hands holding him tightened, bringing him into full contact with skin that was considerably hotter than it had been a moment ago.  
  
'Mm, it's never too early to see you, Aoba.'  
  
Aoba paused, taking a moment to send an incredulous look over his shoulder. ‘Now?’  
  
If possible, the cheek-splitting grin on Clear’s face grew wider, before he brought his face forward, lips lightly brushing skin as Aoba barely restrained a shiver. ‘Why not?’  
  
'You're impossible.'


End file.
